Beware! USB kill stick can destroy your devices

Last week, I discussed 10 additional ways that you can use a flash drive, but this week a word of caution.

It is no secret that electronics are expensive. With new desktop and laptop computers costing between $500 - $1,600, and new smartphones costing hundreds, each gadget you purchase is a huge investment. That is why it goes without saying; you need to do everything possible to protect your devices. Some of the threats out there - such as spyware, adware and ransomware - are hiding behind malicious links, fake apps and bad attachments. However, some of the dangers come in surprisingly inconspicuous packaging.

Imagine finding a misplaced USB drive at a park, restaurant or any other public location. At first, you might think it is your lucky day - free storage! You might also become curious about the drive's previous owners. What is stored on the disk already? Maybe private documents, maybe private photos.

Regardless, collecting the lost drive is a tempting thought, and many in that situation would pick the drive up, connecting it later to their own devices.

Here is why that is a terrible idea. A company based in Hong Kong has built a "weaponized" USB stick. Yes, that is right, I said weaponized. The device is only about the size of the tip of your thumb, but it's powerful enough to fry any gadget.

What to look for

A previous version of this "USB Kill Stick" has been found before, but this newer version is even more menacing. Once plugged in, the tiny gadget goes to work, rapidly charging the device capacitors before discharging. The power behind this discharge is enough to ruin the circuits of whatever gadget it is connected to, including tablets, laptops, desktop computers, smartphones, and even larger systems such as those found in cars and public kiosks.

According to the USB stick's creators, the device was not designed for harmful purposes, but rather to test the capacity of electronic circuitry. Unfortunately, though, there is no way of predicting how those who purchase the drive will use it.

Currently, two versions of the drive have been found. One includes the manufacturer's details printed on it, and the other is an "anonymous" version that looks like something you could easily pick up at some place like Staples, Walmart, or any other retailer outlet..

What are the odds of encountering this device while going about your everyday activities? It is tough to say. Since the cost of this USB Kill Stick only costs around $53, more people might be using it than you realize. That is why the best practice is to just ignore any lost storage drives you find laying around, or to destroy them. But, whatever you do, do not use them! Doing so could leave you with a bricked, unusable device.

From the Windows 10 Corner

Well Spring is coming and so is a new version of Windows 10. The new version of Windows 10 has a code name of Redstone 4, and is schedule for release in late March or early April. The released name is mostly likely going to be called something like the Spring Creators Update.

This Windows 10 update is actually a replacement of the entire Windows 10 operating system and will take several hours. This update, once it starts, should not be interrupted during this process as you can lose everything on your disk drive.

Microsoft has started to roll out another Windows 10 Redstone 4 Insider Preview Build for those in the Fast Ring. This is always the first sign that the new release is just a few weeks away. The Redstone 4 update focuses completely on bug fixes as it brings only one improvement in the Windows Update behavior. This new feature will prevent PCs from going to sleep on AC power when not in active use for up to 2 hours to make sure systems are kept up-to-date. Microsoft has announced this change in an effort to prevent PCs from becoming out of date.

Microsoft developers have moved on to the next Windows 10 release in the Fall of 2018 called Redstone 5. This is a definite sign that only last minute operating system bug fixes for the release of Redstone 4 are being made and that Redstone 4 is being prepared for release to the general public soon.

If you wish to postpone your Redstone 4 update, make sure that your internet connection (Ethernet and/or Wireless) is set to a metered connection. This setting will postpone the update until a time of your choice. This setting was discussed in the Oct 31, 2017 article. For those that missed that article, I will include it next week in the ‘From the Windows 10 Corner’.

Stay protected!

George Cox is the owner of Computer Diagnostics and Repair. He can be reached at 702-346-4217.